Electric switch gear



June 7, j cHRlSTlE 1,862,254

ELECTRI C SWI TCH GEAR Filed Jan. 15. 1.951

Patented June 7, 1932 nmrnn sir Areas PATENT crime-E CHRISTIE/OF SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND, A-SSIGNOR'TO A. ,REYROLIE f& GQMPA-NY I LIMIT-ED, OF HEBBURN-OBLTYNE, ENGLAND, A COMPANY .OF FGREALT BBIITAIN ELECTRIC SWITCH GEAR :This invention relates to electric switchgear'ofthemetal-clad typeand more particualarly toswlitchgear such as is necessary for vdealing with heavyloads on high voltage sys- 5 terms.

:In such switchgear it is essential to provide for the isolationand removal of the ciraouite-breakers from the rest of the apparatus and :in many linown "forms :the removal can io'ionky be :accomplished by lowering the cirrcuitbrealker and itstank. This necessitates -;s11spending rt'he circuit-breaker from some :kind of :framewoi'k and the provision of raising andvlowering .gear. It :also means flfiathat considerable vertical space is occupied abyathe-gear. The suspension of large and :"heavy' circuit breakers isundesirable but it motssuspende'drtheremoval of the circui -bnealmrinimost constructionsis dificult with- -'.-connections:to"the switchgear.

. T-heprimai y object of 'thenpresent invenction is the construction of -a metal-clad switchgear in which although the cirouitubr'eaker need :not'be lowered, at any rate to --any;great extent, and thus its tank may rest saysa-Ipontheground, it can be isolated :and --removed without interference with'thebusiloars.

31:50 7 illhis :isxaccomplished according to the in- :rvention by-lthe provision of a tubular cas- '-ing which passes through the busbar cham- -ber1-a nd is detachably connected round an l orifice'zin' the tank :or chamber containing the 553 .-="cirou-it'ebreal er. In thisrtubular casing is an insulated conductor normally connecting, qareiterablythrough an isolating switch, the lbusbare-eand'one of the fixed contacts of the *circ-u-it breaker, such insulated conductor be- 'ingwithdrawable throughthe top of the tui .Application 'filedianuary 15, 1931, Serial No. 508,988, and in Great vBritain'iFebruary ;21, 1930.

normally be extended when it is connected to the tankso that it draws-itself clear when the oint is broken.

The tubular casing is of insulating mate- :rial, for-instance porcelain, and maybe made as a condenser-insulator. It passesthrough the busbar chamber, usually o1l-fi1led, and is secured therein in any-convenient way. At

some convenient place inside :the busbar chamber/the tubular casing isprovl-ded with ia metalcontact ring-which canbe connected through :a switch in the busbar chamber to the busbar. This switch serves :when open to 1solatetheitubular casing and preferably .a second position'ofthe switchearths it. The

inside of the contact ring .makesconnectiou with spring .oinotliei' frictional contacts -at the upper end of the insulated conductor,

-which conductor passes right down through the tubular casin'gand through a hollowin- .sulatorfixed in the top of the-circuit breaker tank, and its .lower .end makes a :plug and socket orxlike connection at theib'ottomiof the hollow insulator.

At the top .of the tubularlcasingiis a-cover normally .closedxbut which when removed. at-

fords access to the insulatedconductor which can then .be withdrawn wholly or partially.

The accompanying drawing is a :vertical section illustrating construction of switchgear according :tothis invention.

In thiszfigure, A is thecircuit-zbreaker :tank filldzB andhC are respectively :thebusbar-and feeder .or cable chambers supported in any convenient :way independently of the circuit- Thetubular casing intheexample illustrated consists of two tubes of insulating material oined'iby a metal :contactv ring' E and fixed top and bottom vby flanged :j oints tozthe'busbar chamber B or cabIechamber G through which it passes.

diagrammatically one In the tubular casing E is a conductor F surrounded by an insulating bushing F which may be of the condenser type. About midway of its length where it passes through the orifice in the plate A this insulating bushing is provided with a flanged collar or earthing plate F which has a seating on the rim of the orifice. A divided or halved ring or washer G is placed above this flanged earthing plate F and is clampeddown by the flanged ring E at the bottom of the flexible sleeve E The top end of the insulated conductor F has springy contacts F 3 which make connection with the inside of the contact ring E in the tubular casing E, and the bottom end of the conductor F makes a plug and socket connection with one of the fixed contacts H of the circuit-breaker at the lower extremity of. a. hollow insulator H which surrounds the insulated conductor F in the circuitbreaker tank A.

To the outside of the metal contact ring E is pivoted a switch arm J which can be moved by link mechanism J into two positions. The switch J in the left-hand or busbar chamber B is shown in full lines in the position in which it connects the contact ring E to the busbar B in the chamber. In the position indicated in broken lines, the ring E is 'oined to a contact B on the wall of the cham er and consequently earthed.

The switch J in the feeder or cable chamber C is shown in full lines in its earthing position and in broken lines in the position in which it makes connection to the cable end C.

In the normal working position of the switch gear the insulated conductors F will each be in their lowermost positions, i. e.

the position corresponding to that shown on the busbar side of the figure, and after the main circuit-breaker has been opened it can be isolated and earthed by the switches J. If mere inspection of the circuit-breaker is required, this can be done as usual in large switchgear. by removing a cover from a manhole (not shown) in the top plate of the tank.

If removal of the circuit-breaker is necessary for repair or replacement, the switches J are earthed and the flanged rings E at the bottom ends of the flexible sleeves E are unfastened from round the orifices in the plates A The halved rings or washers G are then removed, thus leaving the conductors F and their bushings F free. By removing the top covers E from the tubular casings E access is given to the insulated conductors F which can be withdrawn by inserting a suitable tool. In the figure the conductor F on the right-hand side is shown thus withdrawn.

When both conductors have been withdrawn it is possible to remove the circuitbreaker and its tank horizontally. For example, in the construction illustrated it can be wheeled away on the truck D from under the rest of the gear.

It will be understood that there will be some easily removable form of coupling in the operating mechanism for the circuitbreaker, so that it can be uncoupled when the removal of the circuit-breaker and its tank is necessary.

It will be appreciated that the tubular casing constitutes a conduit or passage through the busbar or other chamber, and that the opening of the casing and withdrawal of the insulated conductor do not necessitate the withdrawal of the oil from the busbar or other chamber. The tubular casing itself may be oil-filled and in such a case a drain cock L may be fitted to the flexible sleeve E so that the oil may be drained off before the joint between the sleeve and the top plate of the circuit-breaker is broken.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In metal-clad electric switchgear, the combination of a circuit-breaker, a tank containing the circuit-breaker, a conductor of the circuit controlled by the circuit-breaker, a lead-in chamber for such conductor, a tubular casing passing through the lead-in chamber in such a manner as to form a separate compartment therein, means for detachably connecting such casing to the circuit-breaker tank round an orifice therein, and an insulated conductor so mounted within the tubular casing that it can be moved longitudinally therein to project into the circuit-breaker tank and constitute part of the connection from the main conductor to the circuit-breaker or can be withdrawn from the tank through the top of the tubular casing.

2. In metal-clad oil-immersed electric switchgear, the combination of a circuitbreaker, an oil-filled tank containing the circuit-breaker, a conductor of the circuit controlled by the circuit-breaker, an oil-filled lead-in chamber for such conductor, a tubular casing passing through the lead-in chamber and constituting a separate oil-filled compartment therein, means for detachably connecting such casing to the circuit-breaker tank round an orifice therein, an isolating switch in the lead-in chamber, and an insulated. conductor within the tubular casingnormally projecting into the circuit-breaker tank and forming part of a connection from the circuit-breaker through the isolating switch to the main conductor, such insulated conductor being withdrawable through the top of the tubular casing.

3. In metal-clad electric switchgear, the combination of a circuit-breaker, a tank containing the circuit-breaker, a conductor of the circuit controlled by the circuit-breaker, a lead-in chamber for such conductor, a tubular casing passing through the lead-in chamber, a flexible extension of such casing by "means of which it can be detachably connected to the circuit-breaker tank round an orifice therein, and an insulated conductor Within the tubular casing which normally forms part of the connection from the main conductor to the circuit-breaker and is withdrawable through the top of the tubular casing, the arrangement being such that after disconnecting the flexible extension from the circuit-breaker tank and withdrawing the insulated conductor the circuit-breaker and its tank can be moved without interference with the rest of the gear and Without lowering it to any great extent.

4. In metal-clad electric switchgear, the combination of a circuit-breaker, a tank containing the circuit-breaker, a conductor of the circuit controlled by the circuit-breaker, a lead-in chamber for such conductor, a tubular casing of insulating material passing through the lead-in chamber, means for detachably connecting such casing to the circuit-breaker tank round an orifice therein, an insulated conductor within the tubular casing which is normally connected at its lower end to the circuit-breaker and is withdrawable through the top of the tubular casing, a metal contact ring on the tubular casing, means for connecting the upper end of the insulated conductor to the metal contact ring, and means external to the tubular casing for connecting the metal contact ring to the main conductor in the lead-in chamber.

5. In metal-clad oil-immersed electric switchgear, the combination of a circuitbreaker, an oil-filled tank containing the circuit-breaker, a conductor of the circuit controlled by the circuit-breaker, an oil-filled lead-in chamber for such conductor, a tubular casing of insulating material passing through the lead-in chamber, a flexible extension of such casing by means of which it can be connected to the circuit-breaker tank round an orifice therein, an insulated conductor within the tubular casing which is normally connected at its lower end to the circuit-breaker and is withdrawable through the top of the tubular casing, a metal contact ring on the tubular casing, means for connecting the upper end of the insulated conductor to the metal contact ring, and means external to the tubular casing for connecting the contact ring to the main conductor in the lead-in chamber, the arrangement being such that after disconnecting the flexible extension from the circuit-breaker tank and withdrawing the insulated conductor the circuit-break er and its tank can be moved without interference with the rest of the gear and without lowering it to any great extent.

6. In metal-clad electric switchgear, the combination of a circuit-breaker, a tank containing the circuit-breaker, a conductor of the circuit controlled by the circuit-breaker,

, 05 a lead-in chamber for such conductor, a tubu- -Ilar :casing of insulating imaterial passing through :the lead in ClIiHIi bBI, a flexible extensionof such casing by means ofwl-r'ich it :can be connectedto the o rcui t breaker i tank round an orifice therein, an asol'a-ting switch in the dead-in chamber, an. earthed -icontact in the lead-in chamber, -an insulate d conductor witlrin Lthetubularrcasing which is normally connected .at :its ilower end to the icircuitbreaker and is withdrawable t h'rough theirtop :ofthe tubular casing a metalicontact axing ion the tubular casing, means for -connecting the upper end :of the insulated conduotor to the metal contact ring, and means for-connectingthe metal contact ring to the isolating switch whereby the circuit-breaker can be connected either to the main con- 'ductoror to the earthed contact in accordance with the position of the isolating breaker tank round orifices therein, and an insulated conductor so mounted within each tubular casing as to be withdrawable through the top thereof, the two insulated conductors respectively constituting part of the connections from the circuit-breaker to the two main conductors.

8. In metal-clad electric switchgear, the combination of a busbar, an electric apparatus to be connected to the busbar, a tank containing such apparatus, a lead-in chamher for the busbar, a tubular casing passing through the busbar chamber in such a manner as to form a separate compartment there in, means for detachably connecting the tubular casing to the apparatus tank around an orifice therein, and an insulated conductor within the tubular casing normally projecting into the apparatus tank and forming part of a connection between the apparatus and the busbar, such insulated conductor being withdrawable through the top of the tubular casing.

9. In metal-clad electric switchgear, the combination of a busbar, an electric apparatus to be connected to the busbar, a tank containing such apparatus, a lead-in chamber for the busbar, a tubular casing passing through the busbar chamber in such a manner as to form a separate compartment therein, a flexible extension of such tubular casing by means of which it can be detachably connected to the apparatus tank around an orifice therein, and an insulated conductor withdrawably mounted Within the tubular casing and normally forming part of a connection 1 between the apparatus and the busbar.

10. In metal-clad electric switchgear, the combination of a busbar, an electric apparatusto be connected to the busbar, a tank within which such apparatus is immersed in oil, an oil-filled lead-in chamber for the busbar, a tubular casing of insulating material so mounted within the busbar chamber as to constitute a separate oil-filled compartment therein, means for detachably connecting the tubular casing to the apparatus tank around an orifice therein, a metal contact member on the tubular casing, means external to the tubular casing for connecting such member to the busbar within the lead-in chamber, and an insulated conductor so mounted within the tubular casing that it can be moved longitudinally therein to project into the.

apparatus tank and connect the apparatus to the metal contact member or can be with drawn from the apparatus tank to break such connection.

In testimony whereof I have signed m name to this specification.

JOHN CHRISTIE. 

